NASA discovered giant Martian volcano: Arsia Mons visible above clouds!

NASA discovered giant Martian volcano: Arsia Mons visible above clouds!

NASA has released a stunning image of the Arsia Mons volcano on Mars taken by the Mars Odyssey spacecraft. This image shows the gigantic volcano, one of the largest of its kind in the solar system, and was taken just before sunrise as the peak emerges from a dense cloud cover. Arsia Mons rises to about 19 kilometers (12 miles) above the Martian surface, making it more than twice as tall as Mount Everest, which is about 8.8 kilometers high. The image offers a unique view of the Tharsis group, which also includes the Pavonis Mons and Ascraeus Mons volcanoes. This group is one of the most distinctive features of Mars' surface and extends for thousands of kilometers.

The Mars Odyssey spacecraft has been orbiting the Red Planet for over 20 years and is the longest active mission around another planet. Since 2023, the probe has been taking images in a new flight mode that allows the cameras to be rotated 90 degrees and thus get a side view of the horizon. This technique improves observations of dust and cloud layers in the Martian atmosphere. NASA researchers, including Michael Smith, emphasize that these images document seasonal changes in the atmosphere and help develop a better understanding of the planet.

Details about Arsia Mons

Arsia Mons, the largest volcano in the Tharsis Montes, has a volume about 30 times larger than that of Earth's largest volcano, Mauna Loa. The volcano has a long history of geological activity spanning billions of years, reaching its peak about 150 million years ago. Recent images of the volcano show clouds of water ice forming around its top, created when rising air cools and ice crystals form. This phenomenon is particularly pronounced during the Aphelion phase, when Mars is furthest from the Sun, resulting in denser cloud cover.

The discovery that the clouds around Arsia Mons are mostly made of water ice represents an important point in the research. Normal clouds on Mars are often made of carbon dioxide, but the new images show a deviation from this pattern. Aerospace engineer Jonathon Hill from Arizona State University highlights the importance of these observations and is pleased with the spacecraft's results.

The Mars Odyssey Mission

The Mars Odyssey was launched in 2001 and is not only the longest orbiter mission, but also a crucial resource for studying the Martian atmosphere. The probe's THEMIS camera, which can detect both visible and infrared radiation, provides valuable data for atmospheric observations. This information is crucial for future manned missions to Mars because, among other things, it helps identify subsurface ice.

Overall, the current perspective on Arsia Mons provides an exciting opportunity to further explore and understand Mars. Repeated sightings of these and other subsequent meteorological phenomena will not only deepen knowledge of the planet but also help prepare for future exploration.

oe24.at reports, sciencealert.com reports, thedebrief.org reports